SEC-510 -- REDUCTION OF VACANCIES IN PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS.


 (a) In General.-Section 14 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42
U.S.C. 1437l), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is
further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

 "(p)(1) The Secretary shall require any public housing agency that has
a vacancy rate among dwelling units owned or operated by the agency that
exceeds twice the average vacancy rate among all agencies or that is
designated as a troubled agency under section 6(j), to participate in
the vacancy reduction program under this subsection.

 "(2) Each public housing agency participating in the program under
this subsection shall develop and submit to the Secretary a vacancy
reduction plan regarding vacancies in units owned or operated by the
agency. The plan shall include statements (A) identifying vacant
dwelling units administered by the agency and explaining the reasons for
the vacancies, (B) describing the actions to be taken by the agency
during the following 5 years to eliminate the vacancies, (C) identifying
any impediments that will prevent elimination of the vacancies within
the 5-year period, (D) identifying any vacant units subject to
modernization, reconstruction, demolition, and disposition activities
that have been funded or approved, (E) identifying any vacant dwelling
units that are eligible for comprehensive modernization, major
reconstruction, demolition, or disposition but have not been funded or
approved for such activities and are not likely to be funded or approved
for at least 3 years and estimating the amount of assistance necessary
to complete the modernization, major reconstruction, demolition, or
disposition of such units, (F) identifying any vacant units not
identified under subparagraphs (E) and (F) and describing any
appropriate activities relating to elimination of the vacancies in such
units and estimating the amount of assistance necessary to carry out the
activities, and (G) setting forth an agenda for implementation of
management improvements (including, as appropriate, improvements
recommended by the assessment team pursuant to paragraph (3)(C)) during
the first fiscal year beginning after submission of the plan and
including an estimate of the amount of assistance necessary to implement
the improvements.

 "(3)(A) In cooperation with each agency participating in the program
under this subsection, the Secretary shall provide for onsite assessment
of the vacancy situation of the agency by a team of knowledgeable
observers. The assessment team shall include representatives of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development and an equal number of
independent experts knowledgeable with respect to vacancy problems and
management issues relating to public housing, who shall be selected by
the Secretary. The assessment team shall assess the vacancy situation
of the agency to determine the causes of the vacancies, including any
management deficiencies or modernization activities.

 "(B) The assessment team shall also examine indicators of the
management performance of the agency relating to vacancy, which shall
include consideration of the performance of the agency as measured by
the indicators under subparagraphs (A) and (E) of section 6(j)(1).

 "(C) The assessment team shall submit to the agency and the Secretary
written recommendations for management improvements to eliminate or
alleviate management deficiencies, and may assist the agency in
preparing the vacancy reduction plan under paragraph (2), including
determining appropriate actions to eliminate vacancies.

 "(4) The Secretary shall, to the extent approved in appropriations
Acts, provide assistance under this subsection to public housing
agencies submitting vacancy reduction plans for reasonable costs of-

 "(A) implementing management improvements;

 "(B) rehabilitating vacant dwelling units identified in the statement
under paragraph (2); and

 "(C) carrying out vacancy reduction activities described in the
statement under paragraph (2).

 "(5) Of any amounts available for allocation under this section to
large public housing agencies pursuant to subsection (k)(2), not more
than $105,000,000 shall be available in fiscal year 1991 and not more
than $220,000,000 shall be available in fiscal year 1992 for carrying
out this subsection.".